Metallic furniture



June 20, 1933. B. G. RAND METALLIC FURNITURE Filed Feb. 12, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet l June 20, 1933- G RAND 1,914,646

METALLIC FURNITURE Filed Feb. 12, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 if 3w- 4 2/ F v 17 /6 A? v 15 videa top construction of the character specimit the vertical flanges 12 to rest directly 65 30 scale of a portion of the improved construcspot welding. with the outer edge thereof in so parts proken away, showing the improved edge flush with the outer edge of the plate 85 Patented June 261, 1333 i BENJAMIN e. BAND, or NORTH TONAWANDA, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR T REMINGTON n-Aim rim, or BuFrALo, new YORK TJLETALLIC FURNITURE Application filed February 12, 1930. Serial No. 127,8 l2.

(: The present invention relates to metallic tively. The portion2is preferably provided furniture and has particular relation to top with a step or shoulder 7 which divides this construction for metal oliice desks. portion of the frame into an outer horizontal One of the objects of the present invention portion 8 and an inner horizontal portion is to provide a desk top of the character de- 9 oflset vertically with respect thereto. (55

scribed provided with a cover portion of The frame 1 is reinforced by means of a fibrous or other material. secured thereto by pair of diagonally extending stress reducing a bead or binding strip having an interlockmembers 10 of channel construction each of ing connection with the body portion of the which comprises a bottom portion 11 having 10 top and which may be quickly and easily vertically extending parallel flanges 12 eachtoo attached and detached without the use of terminating at their upper edges with outbolts or screws and without employing any Wardly extending horizontal flangesliv. The ti l t f 1, bottoms 11 of the channel members are out Another object of the invention is to proaway as indicated at 1 1, Fig. 3, so as to perfied which is of light weight but provided upon the horizontal flange 5 of the outer with stress reducing members so arranged as frame member 1 to which they a re secured by to minimize the flexing of the top in all Welding. One of the stress reducing memli egfigflg bers 10 is cut away as indicated at 15, Fig. 2,

Other objects of the invention will appear and is welded to the flanges 11 and 12 of the Jo f th f ll i pecification and the apcorresponding stress member 10.

pended claims. It Will beapparent from the foregoing that In the accompanying drawings: a very IlglCl construction is thus obtained Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the frame and one which will prevent flexing even of a desk top constructed in accordance with though it is lifted at one corner only. q "a the present invention. A sheet metal plate 16 is secured to the Fig.2 is afraginentary sectional. view on a offset portions 9 of the outer frame 1 and larger scale taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1. to the flanges 13 of the stress reducing mem- Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view on a larger hers 10 in any preferred manner, such as by tion and illustrating the manner of connectoverlapping spaced relation with-respect to ing the stress reducing members to the marthe portion 8, 5 and 6. A top 17 prefginal frame portion of the top. erably of fibrous material is glued or other- Fig. 4 is a fragmentary plan view with wise secured to the plate 16 with its outer means of securing the binding strip to the 16. The edges of this top are protected and frame of the top. secured against displacementfrom the metal- Fig. 5 is a fragmentary vertical sectional lic plate 16 by means of a bead or binding view taken on line 55 of Fig. 1. member 18 which surrounds the entire top.

Fig. 6 is a detail sectional view illustrating This member is preferably of angular con-1 so the manner in which the improved binding struction, having an upwardly extending strip is secured to the frame of the top. 19 which is bent inwardly adjacent its Referring to the drawings, adesk top 0011- upper extremity for gripping engagement struction in accordance with the present inwith the fibrous top 1'? and with an inwardly vention is shown as comprising a rectanguextending horizontal flange 20 adapted to 9 lar outer frame 1, having a horizontal top project into the space between the plate 16 portion 2 provided with downwardly extendand the portion 8 oft-he outer frame 1. This ing inner and outer flanges 3 and 1 terininatflange is provided with a plurality of cut-out ing at their lower edges with inwardly eX- portions or tongues 21 arranged at intervals tending horizontal flanges 51 and 6 respecthroughout its length which are adapted to register with apertures 22 provided in the portion 8 of the frame 1. These tongues are adapted to be bent downwardly through the apertures 22 and backwardly so as to secure the binding strip securely to the frame 1. It will be noted from inspection of Figs. 5 and 6 of the drawings that when the tongues 21 are thus deformed there is a tendency to draw the binding strip inwardly and the upwardly extending flange 19 thereof into intimate engagement with the edge of the fibrous top. This method of securing the binding strip in position is of considerable importance for the reason that no additional securing means such as screws, rivets or the like are required and it permits of a rapid assembly of the parts.

The top construction above described may be attached to vertical legs 23 as shown in Fig. 5 by means of a boss 24 which is welded to the portion 9 of the frame 1. The boss 24 is adapted to nest within a cup-shaped member 25 which is welded in the upper end of the leg 23 and is maintained in position by means of a bolt 26. This particular construction forms no part of the present invention and is more particularly described in my copending application filed March 19, 1930, Serial No. 437,087.

From the foregoing it is apparent that a desk top is provided which is of light weight and relatively great strength and one which may be assembled with a minimum of time and effort.

The invention may be modified in construction and arrangement without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a top construction for furniture, a top body member, a cover secured thereto, and a. marginal member carried by said body member for engagement with the edge of said cover, one of said members having a plurality of tongues adapted to be bent into interlocking engagement with the other.

2. In a top construction for furniture, a top body member, a cover secured thereto, and a marginal member carried by said body member for engagement with the edge of said cover, said marginal member having a plurality of tongues adapted to be bent into in terlocking engagement with said body memher.

3. In a top construction for furniture a top body having the peripheral portion thereof offset from the plane of the central portion of the body, a cover secured to the central portion of said body and in overhanging relation to said offset portion, and a marginal bead having a substantially vertical flange for engagement with the edge of said cover and a substantially horizontal flange disposed between said oflset portion and said cover and adapted to be bent into interlocking engagement with said body.

I. In a top construction for furniture, atop body having the peripheral portion thereof offset from the plane of the central portion of the body, a cover secured to the central portion of said body and overhanging said ofl'set portion, and a marginal or edgeing member having a substantially vertical flange for engagement with the edge of said cover and a substantially horizontal flange disposed between said oifset portion and said cover and having a plurality of tongues adapted to be bent into interlocking engagement with said body.

5. In a top construction for furniture, a top body having a peripheral portion offset from the plane of the central portion thereof and provided with a plurality of apertures therein, a plate secured to the central portion of said body and overhanging said offset portion, a cover secured to said plate, and a marginal strip or bead having a vertical flange for engagement with the edge of said cover and a substantially horizontal flange disposed between said plate and the offset portion of said body and provided with a plurality of tongues adapted to be bent through said apertures into interlocking engagement with the offset portion of said body.

6. In a top construction for furniture, a rectangular frame, a pair of intersecting channel bars extending diagonally of said frame and connecting opposite corners thereof, and a flexible sheetmetal plate secured to said frame and to the flanges of said channel bars, said frame and channel bars having a plurality of web portions in substantially perpendicular relation to said metal plate.

7. In a top construction for furniture, a rectangular frame, a pair of intersecting channel. bars extending diagonally of said frame and connecting opposite corners thereof, the flanges of said channel bars having outwardly extending horizontal portions, and a flexible sheet metal plate secured to said f aim and to the horizontal portions of said channel bars.

8. In a top construction for furniture, a rectangular frame comprising a horizontal portion having downwardly extending inner and outer spaced flanges, a pair of intersecting channel bars extending diagonally of said frame and connected to the inner flange of said frame adjacent to the corners thereof, the flanges of said channel bars having outwardly ex ending horizontal portions disposed in the plane of the horizontal portions of said frame, and a plate secured to said frame and to the horizontal portions of said channel bars.

9. In a top construction for furniture, a top body member, and a marginal member positioned on the body member for engagement with the edge of the cover, one of said members having a plurality of receiving portions and the other member having a plurality of distortable tongue members adapted to be bent into interlocking engagement in said receiving portions.

10. In a top construction for furniture, a sheet metal top plate, a plurality of laterally extending members connected to said top plate, a plurality of horizontal members connected to said laterally extending members and extending in parallel spaced relation to said top plate, whereby said laterally extending members provide Web portions perpendicular to said top plate between said top plate and said horizontal members and are arranged and cooperate With said top plate to provide a substantially rigid top construc tion.

11. In a top construction for furniture, a sheet metal top plate, a plurality of members secured to said top plate having Web portions extending laterally to said top plate, said Web portions cooperating with each other and the top plate to provide a substantially rigid and non-flexible desk :top construction.

12. In a top construction for furniture, a sheet metal top plate, a plurality of members secured to said top plate having Web portions continuously interconnected and extending laterally to said top plate, said Web portions cooperating with each other and the top plate to provide a substantially rigid and nonflexible desk top construction.

13. In a top construction for furniture, a top plate, a cover member of composition material covering the upper face of said top plate, a plurality of laterally extending members connected to the under face of said top plate, arranged and cooperating With said top plate to provide a substantially rigid top construction.

1%. In a top construction for furniture, a top plate, a cover member of composition material covering the upper face of said top plate, a plurality of members secured to the under face of said top plate having Web portions extending laterally to the top plate, said web portions cooperating With each other and the top plate to provide a substantially rigid and non-flexible desk top construction.

15. In a top construction for furniture, a sheet metal top plate, a cover member of suitable material covering the upper face of said top plate, a plurality of members secured to the under face of said top plate having continuously interconnected Web portions ex tending laterally-to the top plate, said Web portiens cooperating With each other and the top plate to provide a substantially rigid and non-flexible desk top construction.

BENJAMIN G. RAND. 

